Cargo Handling Gear and Materials Handling Equipment
For you to properly plan your crew's labor requirements, inspect
cargo, and supervise the loading and unloading of hazardous cargo,
you will need to know how to properly use cargo handling gear.
Ensure that you and the personnel for whom you are responsible take
the following safety precautions when selecting and using cargo
handling gear. (Cargo handling gear consists of items used to secure
cargo while it is being raised or lowered by the ship's gear.
In
addition, this gear moves cargo to and from its stowage position in
the ship.)
Inspect all gear before it is used.
Check slings for kinks,
broken or frayed strands, and parting splices. Check shackles
to ensure that pins are straight and screwed in all the way.
If a hook shows signs of straightening out, replace it with a
serviceable hook. Check chain slings for signs of stretching.
Know the safe working load of all gear (TM 5-725).
Do not exceed the safe working load of any part of the rigging
or cargo handling gear at any time.
When using open hooks to hold snatch blocks, mouse the hook and
the snatch block gate.
Do not permit kinks, twists, or knots to form in the slings.
Do not permit a sling to cross an unprotected sharp corner or
edge.
Be sure that hoisting slings are properly positioned on cargo
hooks.
Never carry a load on the point of a hook.
Check welded rings and hook eyes periodically for cracks and
distortion.
Never overload a sling, and never apply loads suddenly.
Never be too confident of a new sling; the fact that it is new
is no reason for overloading it.
Remember that as the angle of a sling from the vertical is
increased, its ability to support a load decreases. (Whenever
possible, avoid angles of less than 45 from the horizontal.)
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TR1029
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